


smoke, fire, flares

by extasiswings



Series: wildfire [2]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: F/F, First Kiss, First Meetings, Flirting, Second-Hand Embarrassment, Wildfire AU, thirst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:13:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26202484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/extasiswings/pseuds/extasiswings
Summary: “Tell you what,” Ana says, turning to look at Claire.  “You find me a hot firefighter in our area likely to show up the next time we have an incident andnotrelated to any of my students and I’ll gladly enjoy the view.”“Done.”
Relationships: Ana Flores/Lena Bosko
Series: wildfire [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1902844
Comments: 16
Kudos: 109





	smoke, fire, flares

**Author's Note:**

  * For [elisela](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elisela/gifts).



> Dedicated to elisela and the like three of us who jumped into this canoe in five seconds flat. It's not super obvious, but this is set in the same universe as Strike A Match.

It starts as a joke really, the kind of silly topic that comes up when there are several overworked and underpaid teachers stuck in one building doing in-service when it’s technically still spring break and they would all rather be on a beach somewhere. The fire alarm goes off at 10AM and Ana pinches the bridge of her nose, trying to decide if she absolutely has to leave her classroom or if it’s no big deal. 

“Claire,” she calls as the librarian walks past her door. “Is the building actually on fire?”

The other woman stops and looks in, making a face. “David was testing the Bunsen burners in the science lab and knocked one onto a dishcloth. Pretty sure it’s out now, but technically…”

Ana casts a tired glance at the stacks of papers on her desk and pushes back her chair.

“Want to get coffee?” She asks, grabbing her wallet and keys. “It’ll probably be at least a few minutes before they get the alarm off.”

“You don’t want to stick around and see who they send from the fire department?” Claire teases. “If we’re going to be stuck here, at least we might get a chance to see some eye candy.”

“You know, for all that there’s a whole stereotype about hot firefighters, they never seem to send them to us,” Ana replies absently. “I’m not holding my breath.” 

“What about Mr. Diaz? He’s a firefighter, right? You don’t think he’s hot?”

Ana laughs and shakes her head. “He is, but he’s also a _parent_ of one of my students. There’s a line.”

“I’m not saying date the man,” Claire shoots back. “I’m saying you have eyes—thirst, enjoy the view.” 

“Tell you what,” Ana replies. “You find me a hot firefighter in our area likely to show up the next time we have an incident and _not_ related to any of my students and I’ll gladly enjoy the view.”

“Done.”

As they walk past the parking lot, a fire truck pulls up, and out jumps a nondescript middle-aged man with thinning hair. Ana looks over at Claire.

“Like I said—not holding my breath for eye candy.”

“…yeah, fair,” Claire admits. “Coffee it is.”

Later that night, Ana is two glasses of wine in when her phone buzzes with an email notification from Claire, subject line _For your consideration…_.

Her eyebrows shoot up as she clicks through the attachments.

_I am looking…respectfully_ , she texts.

_Girl, it’s just us. You can be a little disrespectful_ , is the response.

It’s followed by another picture, a woman for once, in a white tank top and suspenders, a wicked smirk playing on her lips as she turns a hose on something or someone off-camera. The caption at the bottom says it was from the annual charity carnival for the 136.

Ana chokes on her wine as her face flushes instantly. Her eyes track over the woman’s arms, her exposed collarbones, her lips—

_Okay_ , she texts back. _Maybe it’s a little disrespectful now._

_!!!!!! Noted ;)_

She doesn’t really think much of it—it’s a joke, casual girl talk between friends. When Claire tapes the picture over the computer screen in her classroom, Ana gets her back by changing her ringtone to _It’s a Small World_. When there’s a minor medical emergency near the end of the school year that brings the fire department out again, Ana just blushes and shoves Claire’s shoulder when the librarian says, “Hey, Captain—you should bring Bosko next time. For Ms. Flores here.”

The captain raises an eyebrow and laughs. 

“I’ll see what I can do,” he replies, and Ana’s face flames even more. 

“I’m gonna kill you,” Ana hisses between her teeth as she smiles and waves goodbye.

“You’re gonna thank me when it gets you laid,” Claire shoots back. 

“She could be straight.”

Claire shakes her head. “Little Christopher Diaz was in the library the other day talking about spending the night at his abuela’s because his dad was going over to his auntie Lena’s because she broke up with her girlfriend. Kids, amirite? The best little gossips.”

Ana opens her mouth. Closes it.

“Well. It’s still never going to happen.”

Claire hums and pats Ana’s shoulder. “We’ll see.” 

The rest of the year goes quickly, no emergencies, just a lot of work as May turns to June. And then it’s summer and Ana goes on vacation and doesn’t think about firefighters and tries not to think about school. She dates a little bit—a dinner here, drinks there, a handful of coffee meets—but nothing serious. Nothing that matters. There’s an itch under her skin, to be touched, to be wanted—it’s harder sometimes than others to put up with the comments from her mother every time she calls about when she’s going to give her grandchildren, to go home to an empty apartment at the end of every day—but she also doesn’t want to settle just to stop being single. She’s not that desperate. 

The new year creeps up on her before she knows it though, and then it’s in-service time again. Time to clean the classroom and redecorate and make lesson plans and get ready to welcome a new crop of kids. The first few days, Ana puts on makeup and does her hair, tries to pay attention in the leadership meetings with speakers who aren’t saying anything she hasn’t heard a million other times. But by the end of the first week, she’s over it, oversleeps her alarm and just drags on the closest pair of clean leggings and an oversized t-shirt and tennis shoes before getting in the car. 

She pulls into the parking lot and the fire alarm is already going off—an auspicious start to the day, she thinks as she rubs at her eyes. Claire is standing by the front arch, sipping at an iced coffee as she leans against the wall. 

“The alarm?” Ana asks as she approaches.

“Normal test this time,” Claire replies. “At least I think that’s what they said. It’s early for it though, so it could be dust in the system or something, who knows with this place.”

Ana opens her mouth to answer, only to get distracted when the fire truck pulls up, _136_ on the back in large font, and when the door opens—

“Oh my god.”

“What—” Claire glances over and bursts out laughing. “Hey, Cap!” She waves.

He waves back and gestures over his shoulder at Lena Bosko. “I brought her, Ms. Flores. See, I remembered,” he calls back, and Ana prays for death. 

Lena glances over from across the parking lot and a slow grin comes over her lips as she looks her up and down. Ana’s face flames.

“I’m just gonna—bye,” she says quickly, abruptly turning on her heel and rapidly making her way inside to escape to the seclusion of her classroom. 

_You could come back, you know,_ Claire texts her a couple minutes later. _She’s really nice._

_I look like I just rolled out of bed_ , Ana replies. _because I DID god I didn’t even brush my hair_

_so you only look half as gorgeous as you usually do—big deal, that’s still way better than most of us on a normal day_

For half a moment, Ana considers that. Then, she looks down and sees a stain on the hem of her shirt and winces. No. Absolutely not. 

_Just tell me when they’re gone_ , she says instead. Claire doesn’t text back.

Several minutes later, she’s absorbed in work when there’s a knock on the door. 

“Claire, I would really rather be alone for a little bit with my humiliation if it’s all the same to you,” she says without looking up.

“Well, that’s too bad. Because she just spent the last few minutes talking you up and I was kind of hoping to get your number.”

Ana looks up sharply to see Lena standing in the doorway, a coffee in one hand, the other in her pocket. 

“This is for you, by the way,” she adds, lifting the coffee. “Claire sent me to give it to you since she didn’t get the chance before you ran off.”

“I—” Ana swallows hard, fighting the urge to brush her hair out of her face. But…coffee does sound good. If she’s going to be embarrassed, she might as well be caffeinated. She gets up and crosses the room, reaching out slowly to take the cup. “Thanks.”

“You know, she wasn’t the only one who’s talked you up,” Lena says. 

“Oh?”

“Eddie’s kind of my best friend. And Chris spent all last year talking about his _amazing teacher_ Ms. Flores and how smart she was and how pretty she was…” Lena bites her lip against a smile, her eyes giving Ana another once-over. “…I can’t say I disagree.”

The embarrassment fades a bit as Ana realizes she is, in fact, actually being flirted with, and despite herself she smiles.

“You don’t even know me,” she points out.

“Hey, that kid is never wrong,” Lena replies. “I trust his judgment. Especially since I can already tell he was at least half-right—you’re stunning.”

Ana takes a sip of the coffee to hide her blush. “You’re not so bad yourself,” she admits. 

“Does that mean you’re free for dinner on Friday?”

Ana drags her gaze over Lena’s body, letting herself look, letting herself be obvious for once, and Lena’s eyes are dark and wanting when she meets them again.

“…no,” Ana says. “But I’m free tonight.”

Lena laughs and steps into her space. “I can do tonight. On one condition.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“This.” And then Lena wraps an arm around Ana’s waist and pulls her in and kisses her. 

Ana nearly drops the coffee in surprise, fumbling slightly to set it on the edge of the closest desk before curling her fingers around the lapels of Lena’s uniform shirt and pressing into it. She hasn’t been kissed so thoroughly in—god, she can’t even remember when—and a quiet moan escapes her as Lena sucks on her tongue and slips her free hand into her hair. It feels like she’s been plugged into an electrical socket with how much her body lights up—everything in her goes hot and liquid and she’s overwhelmed with such a desperate need she completely forgets they’re in her classroom. 

When Lena finally pulls back, Ana makes an soft noise of protest and unconsciously chases her lips. Lena laughs quietly and kisses her again just briefly. 

“Had to see if you kissed as well as you look like you do,” she says.

“And the jury says?”

Lena flashes a grin, her hand dragging slowly against Ana’s waist as she withdraws, making her shiver. 

“Even better.” 

“When do you get off?” Ana asks—she bites her lip when Lena’s grin turns wicked. “Of _work_ ,” she adds, when Lena opens her mouth. 

“Four,” Lena replies. “I could pick you up here if you’re sticking around.”

Ana laughs and shakes her head. She walks back to her desk and grabs her phone, opening up a new contact before handing it over for Lena to put her number in. 

“If I’m going on a date, I’m going to make more of an effort. But I’ll text you.”

“Okay.” Lena hands back the phone just as her own buzzes. She makes a face when she checks it. “I gotta go. But—”

She leans in quickly and steals another kiss. “—one for the road.”

Ana grabs the edge of the desk so she doesn’t reach out and pull Lena back in until they’re both thoroughly distracted. There will be time for that later. She’s already looking forward to it.

“I’ll see you later then.”

“See you.”

Ana’s phone chimes when Lena’s left, her footsteps disappeared down the hall.

Claire.

_So???????????_

Ana grins. _I don’t kiss and tell._

_!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Am I a good friend or what???_

_I owe you one._

Yeah…things are looking up.


End file.
